Are You Looking to Sell Your Kent Home Fast?

Selling a home can be stressful, but if you are to sell your Kent property fast, it can be even more nerve-wracking. Whether you need to sell quickly for a new job, for financial reasons or because of a personal situation, there are a few tactics you can use to increase your home’s marketability. Here are my tips on how to sell your property in the quickest time possible. 

Choose your agent wisely

When you see a home that’s been sitting on the market for a while and has some obvious detractors, like Christmas lights still hanging up in March or an unkempt lawn, your first thought should always be that the estate agent isn’t doing their job correctly. You want to be working with an estate agent who is as invested in selling your home as you are, which means someone who will tell you exactly what you’re doing wrong and how you can improve it.

When you’re selecting an agent to work with, ask for referrals from people you trust and who have been through the process themselves. Also, when speaking to potential estate agents, determine how passionate they are and how well they know the local property market.

Go on the market at the right time

The housing market usually has a pattern throughout the year, but there are always slight hurdles that tend to affect the market. So it is important that you put your property on the market at the right time so that you can get the maximum amount of interest and viewings for your home. 

Declutter

As soon as you know you’re going to list your home (and before pictures are taken), get to work on clearing out clutter from your home. Rent a storage unit or find a family member willing to share some extra space in their home and box up everything that you won’t need in the near future. The less stuff you have to clutter up your home, the more that buyers will be able to see the space itself, and not the items crowding it.

Depersonalise

Buyers need to be able to see themselves in the property, and they’re going to have a tough time doing that if they’re looking at your family photos. The sooner you can remove any items that personalise the home – photos, mail, personal papers, etc. – the better you can present a blank slate to the buyers who come through.

Be accommodating

The selling process can be a bit of a pain, especially when buyers start scheduling showings and you have to get out of the house. But it could be worse… you could have no buyers coming through at all!  

Set yourself apart

Make sure all potential buyers who come through your house are made to feel warm and welcome, so for every viewing that comes through, they get to feel welcome, even though you are now there. 

Set out fresh cookies on the kitchen counter with a sign saying “help yourself.” Even put on a fresh pot of coffee, now only will it make for a nice touch, but everyone loves the smell of coffee and it will help make it feel more homely. You could even consider setting out water bottles or a basket of fruit. Regardless of what you choose to do, a tiny bit of extra effort will help you stand out from the competition and could go a long way in helping you sell your home fast.

Price to sell

One thing that can really speed your selling process is pricing your home competitively. Overpricing will lead to more time on the market, and ultimately, you may end up selling at that lower price anyway — it’ll just take you longer to get there.

You may even want to price your home a little lower than comparable homes in your area to drum up interest and cause a bidding war. The effectiveness of this strategy depends on the state of your local property market, so it might be a good idea to seek advice from your chosen estate agent. 

Handle any quick repairs

While you don’t have time for major renovations, it’s still important to take care of any easy fixes that might deter potential buyers:

• Patch up spots where paint is peeled or scratched.
• Fix loose tiles.
• Repair loose door handles.
• Tighten leaky faucets.

You may also want to invest in a few minor upgrades that will make your home show better:

• Apply a fresh coat of paint inside.
• Install new hardware on kitchen and bathroom cabinets.
• Swap out old or outdated light fixtures.
• Purchase matching (newer) appliances.

Stage and add curb appeal

No matter your timeline, every seller can benefit from a weekend spent sprucing up their home’s interior and exterior. After all, making a good first impression with buyers is crucial. 

Hire a professional photographer

It may seem faster (and cheaper) to snap a few pictures of your house on your phone, but poor listing photos could make your home sit on the market longer. 

These days, most estate agents will provide professional photos of your home for you. If they don’t then you might want to consider switching estate agents.

Before images are taken, make sure your home has plenty of light. Open the blinds, replace old lightbulbs or update fixtures, and let in as much natural light as possible. This is also a best practice for listing appointments!

We hope this helps!

Foundation are a group of local property experts, offering our services in Canterbury, Faversham, Sandwich, Whitstable, Deal and the surrounding areas.

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